Mail-catcher.



J.- S. RICHESON.

MAIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. 1914.

PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

muzwtoz COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH 20., WASHINGTON, D. L.

iinirnn s rarns rarunr onrien JOSEPI-I'S. RICI-IESON, OF ORONOCO, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO CHARLES H. CLEMENTS, 0E 030N060, VIRGINIA.

MAIL-GATCHEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

Application filed July 30, 1914. Serial No. 854,123.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Josnri-r S. RICHESON, a citizen of the United States, residing at ()ronoco, in the county of Amherst and State of Virginia, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mail catcher and the principal object of the invention is to provide an improved type of station device which will support a sack to be delivered to a train and will also remove a sack from a suspending arm extending from a train.

Another object of the invention is to provide the station device with an improved type of arms which will lift the supporting eye of the mail sack from the suspending arm of the car as the car passes the station.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of suspending arm for supporting a sack from a car and removing a sack from the station device.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown in perspective the improved mail catcher in operation.

The standard 10 of the station device is provided with an enlarged'base 11 through which the securing bolts 12 may pass. This standard carries a trough 13, the side walls 14 of which have their end portions 15 flared to form guiding lips. This trough extends between the stems 16 of the bridges 17 and are connected with the stems by the eyes 18. Inclined arms -19 and 20 extend from the upper edges of the side walls 1 1 and are provided with downwardly extending supporting fingers 21 at their inner ends. Adjacent the outer ends of these arms 19 and 20 there are provided abutment studs 22 and 23 which serve to prevent a caught sack from slipping off of the trough.

A. supporting catching bar 24 is provided with a suspending arm 25 which is connected with the side wall of the mail car by the bolts 26 which extend through the attaching plate 27 of the suspending arm. This bar is provided with pins or studs 28 and 29 which serve to prevent a mail bag from slipping off of the bar. In order to support the mail. bag 80 there is provided an elongated loop 31 which is connected with one end of tie mail bag by the eye or staple 82.

lVhen this device is in use, the mail bag which is to be delivered to the station is suspended from the bar 24 between the pins or studs 28 and the bag which is to be delivered to the train is suspended from the bridges above the arms 20. As the train passes the station, the bar 24 passes through the trough 13 and the arm 25 strikes the loop 31 of the bag to be taken, thus removing it from the bridges 17 and causing it to fall upon the arm where it will rest and be prevented from moving oif of the arm by the pins 29. As the bar 2% passes through the trough, the 19 will pass through the loop 31 of the bag to be delivered from the train and by their cam action will raise the loops so that the outer pin 28 may pass through the loops. The loop will then either ride up the arms 19 and drop between the fingers 21 and standards 16 or will slide down the arms and engage the abutment studs 22. If the train is approaching from the opposite direction, the operation of this device will be the same as already described. It will thus be seen that this device can be used for removing a sack from the train or delivering a sack to the train no matter from which direction the train is approaching.

What is claimed is 1. In a mail catcher a station device comprising a standard, a trough carried by said standard, bridges extending above said trough upon opposite sides thereof and ex tending parallel to the same, inclined lifting arms carried by said trough upon opposite sides of said bridges, and abutment lugs carried by said trough adjacent the outer ends of said lifting arms.

2. In a mail catcher a station device including a supporting trough, lifting arms carried by saic trough and inclined upwardly toward their inner ends, abutment lugs carried by said trough adjacent the outer ends of said lifting arms, and suspending bridges extending above said trough and having their upper end portions extending parallel to said trough.

3. In a mail catcher a station device com prising a supporting element, lifting arms carried by said supporting element and hi clined toward their inner ends, and suspendinner ends, and abutments carried by said 10 ing bridges positioned upon opposite sides trough adjacent the outer ends of said arms.

of said supporting element and having their In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 7 upper end portions extending parallel to in presence of tWo Witnesses.

said supporting element.

4. In a mail catohera station device in- JOSEPH RICHESON' eluding a trough, bridges extending above Witnesses: said trough, arms extending above said H. S. RUOKER, rough and inclined upwardly toward their 7 J. H. LAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

